Wherever you will go
by CATookpik
Summary: He loved her. She hated him. They grew to be friends. They grew to be more than friends and, when the world felt like it was coming undone, crumbling around them, they fell into a timeless love story. And this was only the beginning.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Anything that you recognize, I do not own.

Please be forewarned that this is something I am just writing for fun, because I love these characters and I find it so easy to lose myself in their stories, even if they're made up – so if the dates don't make sense or something doesn't seem canon, chances are it's not! I'm making it up as I go, and that's my prerogative.

Love, CAT. Enjoy.

 _June 30_

" _For the love of Merlin, Robbie would you turn that music off?" Marge shouted up the stairs with a roll of her eyes, far too used to the bass thumping from her son's bedroom just above the kitchen. Her china was beginning to rattle in the cabinets._

 _Robbie, however, appeared over her shoulder a second later. "It's not me," he said, confused, looking around the kitchen as things continued to shake._

 _Marge mirrored her son's expression. A moment later, as the rattling grew more intense, her expression shifted to one of concern, of worry, of fear. "What on Earth…" but she never got to finish her question as the china began pouring out from the cabinets, glass shattering across the kitchen floor. Chairs and tables and pots and pans all started moving through the kitchen as the entire house shook._

 _Marge's younger daughter darted into the kitchen looking petrified. "Mama," she cried, throwing herself into her mother's arms. Robbie joined their embrace on the floor as their home shook and crashed around them._

 _Days later when the ministry would begin their investigation, they would find Marge and her children buried beneath the rubble that was once their home, bodies broken and covered in dust. Their village lay in a similar state, ravaged by a horde of giants moving through the countryside. Rumours would buzz that these beasts were led by a small group of wizards… in black robes, masks hiding their faces..._

 _July 13_

 _Midair, her body twisted in a way that was unnatural. Her mouth was open, her face set in a scream that died somewhere in her throat, coming out as nothing more than a garbled sob that broke his heart._

 _Without tearing his eyes away from his wife, Scott pleaded with the masked intruders. "Please, please let her down, please." He was sobbing. "Please, I will do anything." His voice dripped with desperation, which only seemed to egg them on. Her body spun again._

 _One figure stepped forward and spoke from behind his mask. "Anything? You would do anything… to keep this piece of Mudblood scum safe?" He spat at Scott's feet. "You sealed her fate, and yours, the moment you decided to marry someone who wasn't like you. You have shamed your family. You have shamed the Wizarding World. And you both must pay."_

" _Please," Scott sobbed again, but the man was already raising his wand and with a flash of green light, it was over._

 _August 28_

" _Honey, I'm home!" he called cheerily from the doorway. He hung his coat and set down his briefcase, calling again, "Honey?" How odd that his wife had not answered, his son had not toddled into the entrance to hug his knees… even their dog, Champ, had not come out wagging his tail._

 _Curious, he stepped further into the house. A flash of red where it didn't belong caught his attention as he passed the living room. It was the first thing he noticed._ Get out, Mudblood filth, _scrawled across the wall above the fireplace._

" _What the…" he started, but then his gaze moved lower and he sank to his knees. His beautiful wife, his baby boy, were huddled together on the floor. Their mouths were gagged. Their hands were bound. He could see tears in his son's big eyes. He looked to his wife and listened with deaf ears as she frantically tried to say something, eyes wide in panic…_

 _He heard the footsteps behind him too late and before he knew it, there was a blinding pain in the back of his head. He touched the nape of his neck; his hand came away bloody and the room began to spin. As he hit the floor, he could hear his wife's muffled sobs and a chilling, mirthless laugh from above him._

 _September 1_

 _King's Cross station was always busy, packed with travellers going here and there. But like every year, on the first of September, the crowds were overwhelming as Hogwarts students pushed their way through the throngs of people with their trunks and luggage and disappeared through the barrier between platforms nine and ten._

 _Platform 9 ¾ was abuzz with excited chatter as parents and families bade their children goodbye for the term. They waved and blew kisses and boarded the train like they did every year, but something different hung in the air. It was stifling, the silent fear of what was coming._

 _The train left the station, and parents watched from a distance, all telling each other the same thing._ Hogwarts is the safest place on Earth. They will be safe. _And despite the uncertainty that filled their bellies, no one bothered to argue._


	2. Chapter 1

Lily Evans had always been the type to get excited by the first day of school. New quills, fresh parchment, the hustle and bustle of falling back into familiar routine. She knew the kinds of names people called students like her behind her back – and sometimes to her face – and she didn't mind in the least bit. Because what many students would never realize was that for someone like Lily, starting school up again meant returning to her real life, to a world where she could be herself and not hide who she was or what she was capable of. She would always love her muggle family, the roots from which she'd grown, but the wizarding world – Hogwarts – was the place that she called home.

And today was the beginning of her final year. To say she had butterflies in her stomach as she boarded the train would have been an understatement. She was about to pull open a sliding door open and claim the empty compartment when she heard someone calling her name, and she turned her head. A happy smile spread across her face as her best friend pushed her way towards her. The two girls shared a hug and held each other at arms' length.

"God, the summer has been good to you!" Lily exclaimed, admiring Penny's sun streaked hair and tanned skin.

"Not looking so bad yourself, Head Girl," Penelope paid the compliment back, ushering Lily out of the corridor, into the compartment.

Lily rolled her eyes as she took a seat, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Returning to Hogwarts meant reuniting with her good friends, like Penelope Burns, a fellow seventh year Gryffindor whom she'd known since their very first day at school. While Lily was quieter, studious, Penny was… not. She was heavily involved in Quidditch and chasing cute boys, but she was fiercely loyal and truly a good friend. She kept Lily's life interesting, and Lily managed – for the most part, anyway – to keep Penny grounded. They were a good fit.

"So, don't you have some big important meeting to attend? Itty bitty Prefects to boss around?" Penny asked, taking off her cardigan, settling in for the long ride across from her best friend.

The red head looked down at her watch and nodded her head, ignoring Pen's teasing tone. "Yeah, but not for a little bit, people should have a chance to settle in and catch up before we drag them away for some meeting – speaking of," she stopped, suddenly thinking that Penny would be the perfect person to ask, " – do you happen to know who the Head Boy is? Since you specialize in all things _gossip_?"

Suddenly, Penny looked a little bit _too_ innocent as she gave her quick reply, "No idea."

Lily grew suspicious. She didn't doubt for a second that Penny knew who it was, and she opened her mouth to get to the bottom of the lie when the compartment door slid open, distracting her again.

"Is this compartment all full up?" said a tall boy with sandy hair and tanned skin, a cheery crooked smile on his face.

"I think we might have some room," Lily grinned back, hopping up to throw her arms around Sammy, her boyfriend since last spring. He was a Hufflepuff, in his final year as well; when Lily had received her Head Girl letter at the end of the summer, she had been hoping Sam would be named Head Boy, but no such luck.

"Happy to hear it," Sam said, giving Lily a quick kiss before pressing further into the compartment, settling back down on the bench beside his girlfriend. "Hey Pen, have a good summer?"

Penny waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Great summer," she said, in a tone that had Sam shaking his head, vowing not to press the subject further. It was a conversation for the girls to have alone, since he had no interest in hearing the gory details of Penny's summer romance – or, more likely, romances.

"Ooookay," he said, laughing a bit. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Oh, I did," she chuckled. "What about you, lovebirds? You vacationed together for a weekend, no? How was that?" Penny asked curiously, eyes on Lily who immediately turned red under her best friend's stare.

Lily cleared her throat and shot a pointed look to Penny before answering, "It was lovely, actually. We spent four days at his parents' cabin by the lake. It was beautiful, so quiet and relaxing – honestly, it's the kind of place I could live for the rest of my life. It was just so… peaceful, you know?" she glanced at Sam who smiled in agreement.

Across the compartment, Penny nodded her head, but she did so with her eyebrows raised, still with her gaze fixed on Lily. Her sly smile made it clear that she was waiting for the juicy details, but she would have to wait a bit longer. Lily glanced at her wristwatch and grabbed her bag. "Shoot, I've got to run," she said, dropping a kiss on Sam's cheek as she stood. "I'll see you after the meeting!"

She disappeared out the compartment door leaving Sam and Penny alone, exchanging a nervous look. Both knew what was waiting for Lily at the end of the train, and both were glad to be far, far from that meeting.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "This ought to be interesting," he said, and the two seventh years shared a laugh and settled in for the journey.

…

"Already? C'mon, we've been on this train for what – ten minutes? And you're already skipping off to be," and here, he paused to shudder dramatically before continuing, "responsible." Sirius said it as if it were a dirty word.

James Potter laughed and shouldered his bag as he stood. Remus held the compartment door ajar, waiting for his friend impatiently. "Look, I know it's a foreign concept for you, mate," he said to his best friend who remained sprawled across his bench, arm hanging lazily over the edge. "But some of us are trying to start this year off on the right foot, yeah?" James chuckled, shaking his head.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I think that's a matter of opinion, but fine – off you go!" he waved them away and slouched further down on the bench, settling in for a nap in his friends' absence.

"He'll get used to it," Remus assured James as they set off together towards the front of the train, grinning at his friend. "He's just worried he's going to lose his partner in crime – literally," he pulled a face, making James laugh.

"He's worried for nothing," James said dismissively, and he pulled at the front of his sweater where the Head Boy badge caught the light. "This thing doesn't change anything, but it will certainly look good applying for jobs next year!"

Remus stopped walking for a second, shooting a skeptical look James' way. "Really? You think being Head Boy will just be a walk in the park? Do your rounds in between setting dung bombs off in the hallway?" he chuckled dryly and pressed on.

James' eyebrows pulled together as if he hadn't really given that too much thought, and then he shook his head again. "Ah, it will be fine," he said, not worried. He reached the final compartment and slid the door opening, peering into the wider space where people were already waiting. He glanced around at the familiar faces, prefects from all the four houses – minus one, still Remus was still standing at his side – and the Head Girl. It was no surprise to him that Lily Evans was the one wearing the badge, but judging from the look on her face, no one had given her a heads up that he would be her partner for the coming year.

"Hey everyone," James said cheerfully, trying his best to ignore the look of shock on Lily's face as he sat down across from her, setting his bag on the floor. He cleared his throat and turned to greet her. "Evans," he said, and he smiled, amused at how thrown she appeared to be. He took no offense – she was not the first person to be shocked at his appointment, after all. This humoured him. He leaned a bit closer to her and muttered quietly, so no one else could hear, "Catching flies, Evans? You might want to close your mouth."

Eyes wide, Lily did, and she cleared her throat to cover up her uneasiness.

Remus joined his friend, chuckling under his breath. "This ought to be interesting."

…

The meeting did not last long, since its purpose was mostly to get introduced and hand out schedules and duties to everyone involved. They made plans to meet again at the end of the next week, then everyone was dismissed.

James sent Remus ahead and hung back until it was just he and Lily left behind in the compartment. She seemed to be doing her best to ignore him and pretend he wasn't there; he cleared his throat to remind her that he was. "So," he coughed again, bending down to hand Lily the piece of paper she'd just dropped. "How are you? Good summer?"

Lily took the paper without bothering to look at him. "It was fine," she muttered, short and sweet, stuffing the papers into her bag.

"Good, good," James continued, unbothered. "Well, look, I know you were surprised to see me here – " Lily interrupted him with a sarcastic laugh – "yes, yes – very funny, I know, but it's true. And you should just know that this is important to me, so whether you believe it or not, I'm going to take it seriously." He stood there, waiting for her to say something, but she seemed to be at a loss for words. Both of them stood there in an awkward silence that felt suffocating.

James ended it with a laugh and turned to the door. "Alright then, good talk," he said, shaking his head.

"I don't," Lily said suddenly.

James stopped and turned, confused. "Don't what?"

"I don't believe that you will take it seriously," said Lily, folding her arms. "In the six years I've known you, I've never seen you take anything seriously, and I don't know why Dumbledore thinks you're going to start now."

"Evans – "

"No, listen Potter," Lily continued over him. "I don't know what Dumbledore was playing at putting us in this together, but I am _not_ going to let you ruin this for me. This is my last year, being Head Girl is a big deal for me and not even _you_ are going to take it away from me. Are we clear?" she raised her eyebrows, daring him to disagree.

He wasn't surprised by her reaction; he'd known from the minute he'd received the letter in the summer that there would be hell to pay when they finally got together. Still, it didn't completely take the sting away when she brushed past him in a hurry, heading back to her friends to, no doubt, take their heads off for not warning her about him. Sighing, James ran a hand through his hair, mussing it needlessly, and turned the other way to find his friends again and beg their advice. How could he rectify six years' worth of damage and prove her wrong?

He re-entered the compartment where his friends were sitting, chatting amongst themselves. The conversation stopped when he walked in and all three sets of eyes turned towards him.

Peter was the first to speak. "How did it go?" he asked, throwing him a pumpkin pasty.

James caught it easily and collapsed heavily onto the bench next to Sirius, forcing him to move his legs aside so he had space. "As well as can be expected?" James replied with a sigh.

"See?" Sirius said, sitting up. "You should just tell Dumbledore that this isn't for you, and we can go back to life as normal."

"Or," Remus said, throwing a cake at Sirius' head, shooting him a look. "You could realize the error of your ways, change it and show all the nay-sayers that you could do it all along?"

Sirius looked at James with such an expression that James couldn't help but laugh, and they both turned to Remus. "Yeah, right," they said together.

James took a bite of his cake and sighed. "You know," he said with his mouth full. Peter made a face and James swallowed before continuing. "I knew it would come as a surprise for her to see me walk in there as Head Boy, but I kind of thought – or hoped, I guess – that she would still give me the benefit of the doubt? And when she didn't, well, it kind of sucked."

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look, and Remus leaned forward on his seat. "Look, is this about Lily not believing that you would make a good Head Boy, or is there more to it than that?" He glanced at Sirius.

"Maybe you were thinking she'd see you differently with that badge on your chest?" Sirius continued.

"Maybe you thought this would be enough to change her opinion of you, to win her over?" Remus asked, leaning back when he saw James' eyes narrow in his direction.

"You can hate us for asking," Sirius said, not perturbed by James' expression; he pressed on shamelessly. "But it's true – maybe that's what you're really upset about, and maybe you see now that it's time to let it go? Move on? Plenty of fish in the sea, and all that? I mean, Head Boy is about as big a change as you can make, and it still wasn't enough, so maybe the disappointment is realizing that it's just not meant to be after all." He shrugged, watching his best friend's expression fall as he slumped even further in his seat.

"Look, don't get all bummed out," Remus said, trying to steer away from Sirius' speech of doom and gloom. "It's only the first day and you said it yourself, it was a surprise to everyone. Let's just see how it goes. This is our last year – don't let one bad encounter get you down, when we have so many great things planned."

"Speaking of!" Sirius interrupted, changing the subject happily. "Moony's right, this is our last year – there are just so many things we have to do before we go, _where_ are we going to _start?_ "

Suddenly, the compartment was abuzz with excitement as the four boys hatched big plans for the coming months at Hogwarts, chattering away like kids in a candy store.

…

They arrived a few hours later, and as they settled in the Great Hall for dinner, Penny was still pleading for forgiveness from her best friend. Sam had already been let off the hook before he'd ventured off to join his fellow Hufflepuffs, but Penelope was not so lucky.

"C'mon, Lil," she said, pointing her fork at her friend across the table. "When was I supposed to tell you, huh? You wouldn't have believed me anyway."

Lily narrowed her eyes and was quiet for a long moment. "Fine," she said, using her fork to knock Penny's out of the way. "Fine, you're pardoned, but don't ever keep something like that from me again!"

Penny nodded, drawing a cross over her heart.

Lily glanced down the table to where James and his friends were eating. "Ugh, I still can't believe it," she shivered like there was a cold draft, and turned back to her meal, poking food around her plate with her fork.

"Don't let it ruin your appetite," Penny said, nudging Lily's leg with her foot under the table. "Look, it is what it is, and you will just have to make the most of it. You said it yourself, it doesn't change what your job is - just go in, do what you need to do and pretend he's not there. We'll still have a great year, he won't change that," she shrugged and nudged her friend again and again, prompting her to smile.

Finally, Lily caved and her face broke out in a grin. "Okay, okay," she said, laughing. She nudged Penny's foot back. "Fine, you're right."

"Excellent," Penny beamed. "So, now that that's dealt with, and now that we're alone," her tone changed, and she leaned forward towards Lily across the table, grinning impishly, "fill me in on all the juicy details of this little getaway with dear Samuel!"

Lily laughed, and the two girls dissolved into conversations about boys and summer flings. T heir voices faded into the background noise that filled the Great Hall, children and teenagers buzzing with excitement about how they spent their vacations and how they would spent the next ten months at Hogwarts.

For now, just for a little while, everything felt good. There was no telling how long everyone would feel that way or how much time would pass before reality crept back in again, but for now the truth about what was waiting for them all outside Hogwarts' walls was forgotten and they were free to be what they were – children, happy to home.


End file.
